REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
IN PHOTO OPPORTUNITY WITH
PRIME MINISTER HOSOKAWA

The Oval Office

11:35 A.M. EST

Q Mr. President, can you tell us about your phone
call with Yeltsin, and did you have a big fight? (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: No. We laughed a lot about the marvels
of modern technology. Even today it was kind of a difficult
connection, interestingly enough. But we had a very good talk and we
agreed that we had the same long-term objective, which was achieving
a just peace agreement; and the same short-term objective, to relieve
the shelling of Sarajevo. And we agreed that there would be further
discussions today at the U.N. and that we would also keep in touch.

But I thought it was a very good conversation and I feel
better having had it.

Q Is he going to put pressure on the Serbs, Mr.
President?

Q Is he objecting to the ultimatum -- the NATO
ultimatum?

Q Is he going to put pressure on the Serbs to force
them to make concessions?

THE PRESIDENT: Well, he agreed that the two of us
should work to try to bring an agreement about. And I think -- I'll
let him characterize his remarks, but I was encouraged by them.

Q Is he insisting on a U.N. veto right over the NATO
action, or is he accepting of NATO action?

THE PRESIDENT: No. No. I think he felt better when I
emphasized the fact that the weapons that are left within the 20-
kilometer area would be under the jurisdiction of the U.N., not NATO.
I pointed out that the Secretary General asked NATO to take action
under its mandate of last year, to take necessary action to protect
the civilians; that taking some jurisdiction over the weapons that
are left within that 20-kilometer safety zone was a part of that, but
that any jurisdiction would be taken not by NATO, but by the U.N.

And so I said the Secretary General had concluded that
we, NATO could do this under the existing resolutions and that we
agreed.

Q Are they now willing to consider lifting the
sanctions piecemeal as possibly an incentive to the Serbs? Lifting
the sanctions incrementally?

THE PRESIDENT: No, that was not -- there was no
discussion about that.

Q So is the United States now willing to consider
lifting the sanctions incrementally?

THE PRESIDENT: There was no discussion about that.

Q Mr. Prime Minister, do the --

Q How important are these talks to U.S.-Japanese
relations?

THE PRESIDENT: We'll have more to say about that later.

Q Do you think you can have a good conversation with
such a difference on the trade issue?

THE PRESIDENT: We'll have more to say about that later.

Q It's hard for us to believe that you can't
communicate with Yeltsin by telephone. That's a little scary, isn't
it?

THE PRESIDENT: That's what he said. He said we had to
make sure it never happened again. He said, what if we really had to
talk about an emergency? That's what he said, too.

Q Mr. President, is there any possibility for you to
have another meeting with Prime Minister Hosokawa this afternoon or
evening or tomorrow morning?

THE PRESIDENT: I don't know -- we haven't started this
one yet. I would like to spend a lot of time with him.

Q Because you decided not to leave for Arkansas this
evening. We heard that you decided not to leave for Arkansas this
evening.

THE PRESIDENT: The weather is bad there and here.

Q Was it only the weather?

THE PRESIDENT: Yes. But, I mean, I'm always glad to
see the Prime Minister. I wish we could go play golf today, but the
weather won't permit that either.

Q Mr. President, do you think that the relationship
between the U.S. and Japan is now in rough water?

THE PRESIDENT: No, I think it's very strong. I feel
very strongly about what the Prime Minister is trying to do. I
supported strongly his political reform package and I support the
economic efforts I think he is trying to make. So I think we have a
good relationship. Just because we have some disagreements doesn't
mean we don't have a good relationship.

Q So you --

THE PRESIDENT: More later. We'll have more later.
We'll answer your questions at the end of the -- at the press
conference.